


Ballad For Two

by barkingyeol



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Not Beta Read, dealing with depression, kinda angsty, kinda chanhun but not that way, kinda fluff too, not typo or grammatical error free
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 16:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11235132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barkingyeol/pseuds/barkingyeol
Summary: Chanyeol cried over and for a lot of things, Kyungsoo made sure he's there for him everytime.





	Ballad For Two

Chanyeol had been crying.

Chanyeol had been crying for the past two hours inside an ensuite bathroom in his shared apartment with Jongdae.

Chanyeol had been crying, and screeching, and throwing things Jongdae knew were his housemate’s collection of colorful rubber ducks, judging by the sound of squeaks they made when hitting hard surfaces. Sometimes Jongdae wondered if the only purpose of having so many rubber ducks neatly lined up along the window in a bathtub-less bathroom, was just so that when Chanyeol had a crying rampant like this, he could throw them violently to the floor, releasing his anger without making any damage to his surroundings. Chanyeol was considerate like that.

"Chanyeol can you hear me? Can you at least let me go in?" No matter how many times Jongdae tried to reach out to him, he only received squeaking sounds as replies. And his patience was running thin. Taking his phone from his back pocket, Jongdae opened kakao talk and typed furiously, _Where the hell are you?_

 _2 minutes! Hang on!_ , 'Kyungbabe' replied within seconds.

_I can but he can't! He's losing it! Hurry!!!_

_I know! I'm on the lift, open the door for me!_

Jongdae quickly paced toward the door. If there's one person who could put an end to Chanyeol's breakdown it's their best friend since high school, Kyungsoo.

"How is he?" was the first thing the wide eyed guy said when Jongdae opened the door for him. Without waiting for his friend’s answer, Kyungsoo scurried towards Chanyeol’s room, discarding his scarf and coat along the way.

"Did you really abandon your meeting just for this?" Jongdae couldn't help but to ask, noticing Kyungsoo's full business attire. Didn't matter it was basically Jongdae himself who had been screaming into the phone, demanding Kyungsoo to come over because 'Chanyeol locks himself in the bathroom again!'.

"Yes," came a firm answer from Kyungsoo before he leaned his side onto the bathroom’s door. His features softened immediately, "Chanyeolie, I'm here."

A short minute later the door opened slowly, just enough for Kyungsoo to slip himself in and close it back. The fact that only Kyungsoo was allowed to enter the giant baby's mourning cave was no longer a surprise for Jongdae, for it had happened far enough times. But every time it came to him that it was him whom had been Chanyeol's best buddy first for a good three years before Kyungsoo came along, Jongdae admittedly felt a little bit jealous of the privilege. If it was a privilege at all.

Chanyeol had had his me-crying-alone time quite frequently since their school days, _especially_ during school days. Jongdae, fortunately unfortunately had only ever heard about it from Chanyeol’s former roommate, Baekhyun, heard the sound that his tall friend made, but never once seeing those tears with his own eyes. Chanyeol was notorious for being private. Always locking himself away every time he needed an escape from reality. And every time, Kyungsoo and only Kyungsoo was allowed get close to offer him comfort. Something about Kyungsoo accidentally seeing Chanyeol crying at the school's storage room one winter day, Baekhyun had told Jongdae.

But as an afterthought, it's rather ridiculous for Jongdae to get jealous at all. Afterall, he didn't share the same feeling Kyungsoo had always had for Chanyeol. Or Chanyeol had for Kyungsoo for that matter. Shrugging his shoulder, Jongdae walked back to his room, hoping Yixing would still be an angel and accept him back to their composing session that was held through a video call on skype. Jongdae had abruptly abandoned his computer, and Yixing, upon hearing Chanyeol sobbing earlier on as his study room shared the wall with Chanyeol's bathroom. He could not not running to check up on his friend. He blamed it all on Chanyeol and his ability to evoke such a motherly nature off Jongdae.

Bracing himself, Jongdae sat down in front of his giant computer screens. Yixing shook his head, "I don't even want to know." Jongdae grinned, and Yixing continued, "Let's get back to work then. That OST isn't going to write itself.” Jongdae offered a sheepish nod. True, and certainly Jongdae didn't trust Yixing enough to store the file by himself. Chanyeol's breakdown was enough stress for the day. Jongdae shouldn't have to deal with another wails over lost files and broken HDD, again. The Chinese man unfortunately still had a hard time setting up Dropbox.

 

-

 

"Do you want to hug me?"

Chanyeol chewed his lower lips and glanced at Kyungsoo. The smaller guy extended his arms in open invitation. They did this every time, and every single time it's still awkward for Chanyeol. But he eventually gave in anyway, leaning forward to have his body pressed close as Kyungsoo wrapped his arms around his waist affectionately.

"You're cold," Chanyeol whined.

"It's snowing outside," Kyungsoo retrieved back his arms to take off his Armani suit, leaving only a neatly pressed white shirt before wrapping himself around Chanyeol's body again, this time including both of the other's gangly limbs. He looked like a koala clinging to a tree, or so Jongdae would have teased him if he were in the room with them. But Kyungsoo could care less of what Jongdae would think of their uncomfortable looking pose, especially not when Chanyeol dropped his head onto Kyungsoo's shoulder and started sobbing again, quietly this time. Kyungsoo hugged him even tighter, “It’s going to be okay.”

“I’m sorry for crying again,” Chanyeol whispered meekly when he managed to catch his breath.

Kyungsoo shushed him gently, “Never say sorry for crying, especially not in front of me.”

“I feel a lot more than I can handle.”

“You’re highly sensitive, it’s normal.”

Chanyeol knew he’s stronger than this, but Kyungsoo always used the right words with the right amount of kindness everytime. He felt like crying again. "I'm going to ruin your shirt," he decided to change the topic instead.

"You have ruined my career, there's nothing else you could have ruined worse."

Chanyeol giggled, body shaking while trying to contain his tears and amused laugh at the same time.

"Will your father disown you if he knows you're here hugging me instead of attending to your office?"

"I thought he disowned me already when I eloped with you to Jeju in uni."

Chanyeol giggled again, leaning forward to nuzzle on Kyungsoo's neck, "We never eloped, you kidnapped me."

"I'm just trying to be funny."

"I know."

“Does it work?”

“It does, it always does.” 

They're cuddling, while standing, just like how they always did. It's affectionate, but not overly intimate. Kyungsoo swayed his body side to side in calming motion. Chanyeol had completely stopped weeping by then, feeling warm and loved.

"Who is it this time?" Kyungsoo asked after a while.

Chanyeol buried his face deeper into the crook of Kyungsoo's neck, suddenly breathing heavily again. Kyungsoo rubbed a soothing circular motion on his back.

"Oh Sehun."

 

-

 

Sehun was only 12 when he moved to the room next to Chanyeol's in the dorm. Being the RA of his floor, 14 years old Chanyeol developed an instant strong sense of protectiveness over the shy and much smaller boy. Didn't help that Sehun knew how to fit into the little brother role so effortlessly, pulling aegyo, referring to Chanyeol as his beloved hyung, and following the older boy everywhere.

Needless to say, Chanyeol loved the attention.

Chanyeol loved having Sehun's attention.

Chanyeol loved Sehun.

Except when there's a tan kid name Kim Jongin around.

Except the said Kim Jongin was Sehun's best friend and the little brother of a certain Kim Jongdae. So no matter how much Chanyeol wanted Sehun to accompany him to the bookstore that one Spring day, when Sehun told him, "But Jongin said it's soccer day!", Chanyeol couldn't bring himself to complain, nor hate Sehun, or even Jongin.

He simply locked himself in his room until it's time to get dinner. After placing the rubber ducks back to their rightful place, along the window, facing outside, he solemnly walked towards the dining hall all by himself.

But to say the least, everyone around them knew the feeling wasn't one-sided. Sehun loved Chanyeol too. Sehun had always loved Chanyeol. Even more than he loved his own brother back home, as he once said so himself. And even when he realized how problematic Chanyeol and his life was. Even then, Sehun loved him all the same, if not more.

A decade growing up with Chanyeol, and Sehun thought he knew how to dance around this one particularly clingy hyung.

Chanyeol proved him wrong.

The disappointment hit Sehun hard, especially when it was Kyungsoo who picked up his phone call.

"Did he refuse to talk to me? Again?" Sehun demanded, rather angrily.

To which Kyungsoo replied calmly, almost out of habit, "He's sleeping." They had this conversation many times before too. Sehun asking for Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo covering up for the guy. Sometimes Kyungsoo had to tell a lie, sometimes it was the truth. This time it’s the later, as Kyungsoo closed the door to Chanyeol's bedroom and walked towards the living room, not wanting for Chanyeol's hard earned sleep to be disrupted at all cost.

"Did he told you yet?" Sehun asked nervously.

"He just did," Kyungsoo kept his tone soft, with a tint of cheerfulness. The last thing he wanted was Sehun to think Kyungsoo was angry at him too. Not to mention he was actually happy for Sehun.

"We only decided the date last night and I wanted Chanyeol hyung to know first before anyone else. No offense to you, hyung."

"I figured. It's okay, Sehunah, I understand."

"But now he's upset with me."

"He's not upset with you."

"He's upset with Jongin then?"

"He's more upset with himself? I think."

"How so?"

"Er, like a mother feeling upset and conflicted? He wants you to be happy but not quite ready to let you go?"

"He will never be ready," Sehun scowled, bitterly.

"You know he will never be ready."

Sehun sighed in defeat, "Kyungsoo hyung, can you at least promise me he will attend the wedding party?"

Kyungsoo smiled into the phone, Chanyeol's phone, "I promise. Jongdae can promise you that too. Just send in the invitation."

"Okay. I'll call again later. And I really hope he will pick it up by himself next time. We really need to talk."

"Give him some time."

"I will. Thank you, hyung. Talk to you later."

 

-

 

Jongdae typed into his phone, _Jongkid, coffee shop! Now!_

Baekhyun peered over to see Jongdae's phone. After Jongdae pressed send, Baekhyun shifted his gaze to Chanyeol on his other side, "Can I laugh now?"

Chanyeol sent a dirty look and scooted away from him, towards Kyungsoo. Baekhyun, as playful as ever, started jabbing his index finger on Chanyeol's arm, “Giant, baby, giraffe.”

Noticing Chanyeol's distress, Kyungsoo swatted Baekhyun's hand away, "Quit it."

"Stop protecting him, you're not his mother!" Baekhyun hissed.

"I'm not your mother either so stop making me correcting your behaviour in public."

Baekhyun turned away and pouted to Jongdae, "I'm surprised we're still friends with him."

"I'm surprised we're still friends with _you_."

Baekhyun gasped, "Kim Jongdae!"

Jongdae laughed out loud, launching his body to hug Baekhyun from the side with the later still looking at him incredulously

"I'm just joking~ stop picking on Chanyeol."

"You both are ridiculous. You're babying this giant too much." Baekhyun wriggled his shoulder to break free from Jongdae.

"I'm not a baby," Chanyeol whined.

"Then stop acting like one!" Baekhyun chided, "Sehun is a grown man, he's been fucking Jongin for as long as I remember Kyungsoo's been pinning on you so fucking get over your puppy love for Sehun already!" rather angrily.

Kyungsoo sputtered all over his coffee.

"Now, now, Byun Baekhyun don't broadcast your personal vendetta here. Mentally killing Chanyeol won't make Kyungsoo finally be head over heels for you."

Three awkwardly coughing friends had Jongdae smiling victoriously into his coffee, "Jongin sure takes long."

  


The cafe's glass windows were covered in mist, a reminder of the harsh weather waiting for them outside. The snow still hadn't stopped falling. But they both literally and figuratively felt safe and warm there, under the protection of Minseok's watchful bodyguards. They're just _too important, too affluent, too famous_ , to lounge around normal cafes.

They weren't sure who started it first. But it was around the time Minseok decided to send in some of his men to escort Chanyeol back home from a fashion show’s after-party, in fear of the younger being mobbed by his alarmingly morbid fans. And before they knew it, the protection was extended to guarding Baekhyun's family house when his father, the mayor, signed an unpopular bill to help illegal immigrants from warring countries seeking South Korean citizenship to find jobs and rebuild their lives in Seoul.

Their friendship ran deep. And Minseok had always been there for them. Protecting and providing for their needs in any ways possible. Turning one of his normally operating coffee shop chain into a heavily guarded private place for when the boys needed a place to gather or take a break, was one.

Chanyeol had never thought the cheeky senior Jongdae had befriended when they entered high school, turned out to be the only heir to the most dangerous and influential family in South Korea.

But he should have known better. Jongdae himself was nothing short of surprises when it comes to family background and extensive connections.

Something that Jongdae shared, naturally, with Jongin.

 

 

To get things straight, Chanyeol didn't hate Jongin, and never had. In fact he admired the younger boy, who always seemed so confident, when he walked, when he talked, even when he laughed. Jongdae said it run in the family. But unlike the mild mannered Jongdae, Jongin was much more aggressive, and passionate. He had never once failed to voice out his opinions and held strong to things he believed in. When Jongin wanted people to like him, to agree with him, they would. Because that's how effortlessly charming he was.

Needless to say, Chanyeol couldn't really blame Sehun for falling for his best friend. Confidence had always been annoyingly, extremely attractive to Sehun.

But to be honest, Chanyeol had never blamed Sehun for anything anyway.

Sehun liked boys, like girls liked boys. When they were young Chanyeol couldn't really understand why. Chanyeol liked girls just fine. Jongdae liked girls. Baekhyun liked girls too. Girls were just fine. But Sehun had told him, it had nothing to do with gender. The world didn't need any more babies born into broken families. Sehun would not make one just for the sake of fitting himself into social roles and family expectations. Sehun would live with the one he loved and live a life he would not regret.

Sehun was only 14 at that time.

Chanyeol was 16 and still thought santa existed.

But that was before Kyungsoo.

Before Kyungsoo entered the picture.

 

 

"I'll get you more hot chocolate. You didn't have any breakfast this morning. I'm not letting you starve yourself when you're with me."

Kyungsoo picked up Chanyeol's empty glass.

"What?" Kyungsoo asked when he felt the weight of Chanyeol's stare over his shoulder. Looking up at Kyungsoo with big puppy eyes. 

"What do I do without you," Chanyeol cooed playfully.

"You call me. That's what you'd do."

They both grinned. Chanyeol nodded and Kyungsoo proceeded to the counter.

"Are you sure it's completely platonic between you two? Because I really want to make the 'so Kyungsoo tops the giant' joke," Baekhyun leaned over to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol let out an exasperated sigh, "Bloody hell Baekhyun please find a new crush and leave Kyungsoo alone! And it's not a joke! Not everything is a joke!"

"That's his defense mechanism, Chanyeol. Please be more sensitive to Baek's feeling," Jongdae pulled Baekhyun back onto his seat.

"But I thought you're on my side!" Chanyeol pouted.

"For your information, the only side I'm on is Jongin's. And I swear Park Chanyeol if you make my baby beg for your permission to marry Sehun I will make you beg to ever see the light again."

Chanyeol nodded timidly on the threat. If _Jongkid_ was aggressive, _Jongbro_ was, when he wanted to, for all Chanyeol knew and have experienced himself, menacing.

Afterall it was Jongdae who made Chanyeol agree to meet up with Jongin that day, the indirect and horrible result of purposefully ignoring Sehun for one week straight.

Baekhyun's face broke into a huge grin as if he had won a lottery, "I live for this moment! We should have sent Kyungsoo away to fetch some drinks a long time ago."

Jongdae was about to reply with some sarcastic remarks when a sudden "Hyung!" took away his attention.

"Kiddie!" Jongdae beamed when Jongin approached them.

Jongin gave his brother a quick hug before greeting the others, "Baek hyung! Chanyeol hyung!"

To Chanyeol's relief, Kyungsoo came back before Chanyeol had to figure out how to react at all.

"You're here," Kyungsoo patted Jongin's shoulder as he placed a new mug filled with hot chocolate in front of Chanyeol.

"Kyungsoo hyung! It's been awhile!" Jongin looked genuinely surprised to see Kyungsoo standing in front of him, "You look great!" glancing back and forth warily at him, at Chanyeol, and at Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo nodded knowingly, "You too."

Baekhyun groaned, "Jongin please, we're here for you and Sehun. Let’s not dwell on the past. Live for the future!" Baekhyun pumped his fist to emphasize.

Jongin laughed, but went silent almost immediately when he realized Chanyeol hadn't spoken a single word since he arrived. His eyes weighted on the guy who had looked more interested in his own fingernails than Jongin's arrival.

"Sit down first," Jongdae gestured for Jongin to take Kyungsoo's previous seat between him and Chanyeol.

Chanyeol instantly went panic and grabbed a hold of Kyungsoo's wrist. The idea of being in such a close proximity to Jongin frightened him, especially now.

Knowing he shouldn't push the limit, Jongin grabbed a chair from nearby instead. Positioning himself between Kyungsoo and Jongdae as Kyungsoo sat down on his seat, becoming some sort of a human shield to protect Chanyeol from anything of Jongin that scared him at the moment. 

Jongdae moved his chair towards Baekhyun and made the later moved towards Chanyeol to give more room to Jongin on their round table. Baekhyun was clearly not amused, "I can't believe I just saw that."

Ignoring whatever Baekhyun meant by _that_ , Jongin proceeded to get into business right away. "Chanyeol hyung," he called out.

Chanyeol's grip tightened around his mug, not giving an answer as he knew Jongin didn't need one to continue.

"I love you!" and came the most shocking statement of all. Chanyeol froze and Kyungsoo's eyes went wider than ever.

But Jongin wasn't finished yet, "I love Jongdae hyung too. I love Baekhyun hyung. And I love Kyungsoo hyung too. And to be honest, for years and years I had loved Sehun the same way too. I'm not even sure when or how, but everything suddenly changed. I can go on without seeing Jongdae hyung for days, weeks, months, but I can't even function properly before Sehun sends me a good morning message and it drives me crazy!" 

Chanyeol didn't fail to notice the frustration and helplessness in Jongin's usually confident and proud voice. It was Sehun. Chanyeol's Sehunnie did that to Jongin.

"Whatever you thought me and Sehun have done, we haven't. Because you had told him, you don't want him to hand his everything to someone who won't spend the rest of his life together with him. And Sehun honors his promise with you. And I honor my promise with him to keep his promise with you. I'm risking being teased by Baekhyun hyung for the rest of my life by telling you that here." Baekhyun scoffed on the side. "But I think you need to know," Jongin continued.

"Because now I will make a promise with you. That no matter what might happen in our marriage later, nothing will change between you and Sehun. I will not come in the way between you two. I won't keep him away from you. And you might think we're ridiculous for seeking your blessing more than our parents', well, what can I say, Sehun loves you more than his family. Your opinion matters the most to him. And so here I am, asking, can I have Sehun's hand in marriage?"

Jongin’s words hit Chanyeol like a train, fast, loud, and unavoidable. Making him not sure what to reply, or what to feel at all. Should he feel glad? Relieved? Happy? Or sad that he had unintentionally cockblocking Sehun's love life although he had meant well.

A minute had passed since Jongin fired away the question and everyone were looking at Chanyeol expectantly. He felt great pressure weighing him down. He wasn't convinced yet, but it's not like he actually had a say in Sehun's life. Afterall he's just that RA hyung who used to live next to Sehun's room in the dorm. Well, he might be more than that. To be fair, he was more than that. All those years he spent accompanying Sehun when his family went against each other for inheritance and neglecting the youngest member of the family, sent away and was all alone in a boarding school. Chanyeol had been there for him, helping him regaining back the meaning of having a _family_ . But for now Chanyeol wished he was just a _no one_ in Sehun's life. The idea of letting his little Sehunnie be _owned_ by someone else was killing him. Letting go had never been his strong point. He always blamed his own traumatic past for it.

But Sehun and Jongin wanted his blessing. Chanyeol mattered to them. This and the countless missed calls and unread messages on his phone. Sehun's not letting him go. And maybe Chanyeol didn't have to let Sehun go afterall. Like Jongin had promised him.

Chanyeol was so lost in his own mind maze that it wasn't until Kyungsoo gave his hand a squeeze that Chanyeol finally looked up, and eventually caught a glimpse of Jongin's determined eyes staring intensely at him. Chanyeol tried to escape, only to be trapped between Jongdae and Baekhyun's judging eyes. His friends sure would not let him having this the easy way. They knew Chanyeol was weak to pressure, only to utilize it even more. Especially when they had Kyungsoo to cushion the blow. Ruthless.

Chanyeol straighten his back and cleared his throat, closing his eyes and trying to come off as composed as possible, "I demand a dance with the bride, I mean the groom, or whatever, I mean with Sehun."

 

They could hear Sehun screaming ecstatically onto the phone when Jongin delivered the news.

 

Chanyeol sipped his last drop of chocolate, no longer hot, murmuring, "I did the right thing." Kyungsoo patted his shoulder affectionately, "You did the right thing."

 

Baekhyun and Jongdae had already busied themselves launching a heated discussion on how to get dates before the party.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this years ago and decided to just post it up. Unbetaed so I'm sorry if many things left hanging. Not meant to be written as subyeol domsoo or anything, just Kyungsoo offering emotional care and support for Chanyeol when he needs it, because of love and whatnot :p Might write the continuation since there's a hint of past chansoobaek and Kyungsoo kidnapping Chanyeol might be interesting to write ahaha


End file.
